The Last Summer
by naley07
Summary: [CHAPTER 3 UP] Post HBP The summer before what would be Harry, Hermione, and Ron’s seventh year at Hogwarts. Bill and Fleur have their wedding. Will the threat of war push Hermione and Ron towards their true feelings before it’s too late? HrR some HG R
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: The summer before what would be Harry, Hermione, and Ron's seventh year at Hogwarts. Bill and Fleur have their wedding. Will the threat of war push Hermione and Ron towards their true feelings before it's too late?**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Harry Potter characters JK Rowling does.**

**Author's Note: This is my first fic so please be nice to me. Please review it is very helpful. Without further ado here it is.**

Chapter 1 

The sun peeked over the window sill and shone on the peacefully sleeping Ron Weasely. It was the middle of his summer vacation and he was gratefully sleeping through the morning. Sleeping was the only time he had away from the drama that was his life. Him and his family were directly affected by this war, especially now that Harry Potter was a close family friend. Hopefully though, Ron, Harry, as well as Hermione would be able to have a carefree month and a half before they set out to finish Dumbledore's mission of finding the horcruxes and defeating Voldemort.

"Ronnnalllddd! Get out of bed and come help us!" the shrill voice of Mrs. Weasely broke the peaceful silence in Ron's room.

He groaned and rolled over. _What do they need help with anyway?_ He thought to himself, then he suddenly sat bolt upright.

"Today's the day Hermione's coming," he exclaimed, "and Harry," he quickly corrected himself as he realized his mistake. He quickly got out of bed and dressed in the best casual robes he could find, and descended the many stairs to kitchen. Everyone was running around in a frantic chaos, this was not an unusual occurrence at the Burrow. With four older brother and one younger sister things could get pretty hectic, but today was different, they had a mission. The Weasely family was hurriedly preparing for the surprise birthday party they were throwing for Harry's seventeenth birthday.

"Don't just stand there!" Ginny yelled at him pulling him out of his trance, "Come help us." Ron walked into the kitchen and pulled a box of cereal and a bowl out of the cupboard.

"I have to eat first," Ron replied.

"Typical," she mumbled under her breath as she scurried away.

They continued to bustle around preparing for the extravagant party, and were still busy preparing when Hermione arrived by the Floo Network. With all the confusion no one noticed her arrival.

"Hello," she said. "HELLO!" she scream, a little louder than she had intended. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned towards the fireplace. It took a couple of seconds for the information to be completely processed, but they recovered quickly.

"Hermione, hello. How are you dear?" Mrs. Weasely said, ushering Hermione into the living room.

"I'm good, thank you Mrs. Weasely. How are you?" she responded.

"I'm fine dear." Ron was mesmerized. She had most definitely changed over the summer. He couldn't help but stare at her. _What are you doing? She's one of your best mates, you can not be thinking of her like that. _He seemed to be telling himself that a lot lately.

"Ron, hello… anyone in there," he focused his eyes and realised that Hermione was now standing in front of him.

"Aa… sorry, what did you say?" He said in a futile attempt at covering up his staring.

"I asked you how you are?" she said slightly puzzled as to why he had been staring at her, spaced out for that matter. _Maybe… no who are you kidding yourself that will never happen. Stop, stop thinking that. _She mentally slapped herself. Lately she couldn't stop thinking about Ron but not as Ron her best mate, but something different. _He is_ _your best mate though you can't think like that._

"I… I'm fine," Ron stammered. How did she do that to him, or a better question, why? Why did she do that to him, they had been friend for years and she had never had this affect on him up until this past year.

"Well what can I help with?" Hermione asked looking around the room at the partial party decorations.

"Ron, why don't you help Hermione take her things up to Ginny's room first and then you to can go start on putting the tables outside," Mrs. Weasely suggested ushering the two teenagers up the stairs.

They climbed the stairs in an awkward silence until they reached the landing at Ginny's room, neither seemed to want to be the first to break it.

"How's your summer been so far?" Ron asked lamely, searching for anything at all to break this silence.

"Fine," Hermione said, "Glad to be back in the wizarding world again." She reached for the door handle and stepped inside the room, placed her trunk on the floor by the roll away bed and exited the room again. They climbed down the stairs and began the task that Mrs. Weasely had set them to.

One hour and a half later the preparation were finally complete and they sat back to admire there work. There were streamers hanging from every possible spot, balloons floating randomly throughout the house, tables full of food set up in the back yard and a gorgeous cake that Ginny had prepared sitting in the kitchen. The many guests that they had invited had arrived and already found places to hide and all the Weasely's except Mr. Weasely, who had gone to get Harry, were hidden as well. Everything was ready and all they could do now was wait. Suddenly Mr. Weasely appeared out of the flames.

"Harry is right behind me," he said and hurriedly hid behind the couch…

**Author's Note: Love it? Hate it? I want to know, please, please review. I need to know if I should continue writing. I know this chapter wasn't great but I have to set the foundation for the story line. I promise it will get better. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Harry Potter characters JK Rowling does.**

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay, this is my first week of school and I am trying to get back into routine and what not. Thank-you so much to Hakkais-gurl3000 for being my first reviewer it means a lot. Thank-you to Emma-Lynn and Lorelai the Voldermort Slayer for also reviewing. Please read and review. Anyways without further ado, on with the story.**

Chapter 2

…Moments later Harry stepped out from the flames, before he even had a chance to react the entire Weasely family and Harry's friends jumped out from their hiding places. All over the room shouts of, "Surprise!" and "Happy Birthday!" could be heard. Ron and Hermione rushed towards Harry.

"Happy Birthday!" They both shouted in unison waiting for his reaction to the party.

"Thank-you," he said, "I can't believe this." His tone was such that neither Ron nor Hermione could determine whether he would be angry for celebrating during this horrible war, or be elated that they had thrown him a party. "This is amazing," he finished, relieving both of his best mates. Ron let out a breath that he hadn't even known he had been holding in. He was used to Harry blowing up at him and Hermione but he really didn't want anything to ruin their last night of innocence before the war.

"Well than lets go eat!" Ron suggested.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you Ron to always bring up food."

"I have to agree with him Hermione. I'm starving," Harry interjected, hoping to avoid a major row. The trio walked over toward the many tables full of food, on the way they ran into Mrs. Weasely.

"Thank- you so much, Mrs. Weasely" Harry said.

"It was no trouble dear, I'm glad you like it. And Happy Birthday," she replied before letting them alone. Wearily watching the three best friends from a nearby table was Ginny Weasely, although Harry had broken up with her, and she understood why, that didn't mean she would stop loving him. Harry noticed the familiar red head and quickly diverted his friends to another table. His rational thought told him that he was right to end things with her, but he seemed to loose all rational thought when she was around. _The best thing to do_, he thought, _is to just steer clear of her. _The party went by quite quickly, everyone had a great time and the thought of Voldemort was temporarily cast to the back of everyone's mind.

After the party Harry, Hermione and Ron were sitting in Ron's room, there was a comfortable silence which Harry didn't want to break but there was something he needed to discuss with his friends. Ron beat him to the jump though, making which only made the atmosphere in the room tenser.

"I'm surprised Ginny's not up here with us," he commented, "Come to think of it she hasn't said a whole lot about you since school let out." Ron really could be thick sometimes.

"Um.. Ron," Hermione began but Harry cut her off.

"No its ok Hermione, I'll tell him."

"Tell me what?" Ron questioned, beginning to become suspicious.

"Well, I broke things off with Ginny after Dumbledore's funeral," Harry said as calmly and rationally as he possibly could.

"WHAT!" Ron yelled. "I told you if you ever hurt her…" his thought was interrupted by Ginny stepping into the room.

"Ron its ok. He has a 'good' reason," she said with just a touch of sarcasm, and a roll of her eyes when she said 'good.' Everyone in the room, except of course Ginny, was still recovering from the shock of seeing her standing there. Noticing the shock on everyone's face Ginny said, "I heard Ron yelling from downstairs and came to see what was going on. I heard the end of his tantrum and guessed the rest," the confused looks that were on the trios face slowly disappeared.

"It was not a tantrum," Ron stated flatly.

"Oh Ronald, that's not the point," Hermione chastised. "If you don't mind telling us," Hermione said looking from Harry to Ginny, "What is the good reason?" Harry looked briefly at Ginny, as if silently getting her approval to continue and then said,

"Well, Voldemort has used the people I care about, to get to me before. He used Ginny when she was just my best mate's sister. I don't even want to think of what he could do to her if he found out that I love her," Harry stopped abruptly and his eyes gravitated to Ginny. Had he just said what he thought he said? Ginny caught his eyes and they held each others gaze.

"What did you just say?" She questioned him. He had definitely never said that before.

"I uuu… umm," Harry spluttered. Hermione gestured Ron towards the door. When he refused to understand simple hand gestures she grabbed his arm and pull him silently out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

"I don't get it," Ron said confusedly.

"Honestly Ron did you not hear what he just said to her," Hermione said exasperation in her voice.

"He said he… oooo," Ron said finally cluing into the situation.

"Lets give them some time," Hermione said. The two friends walked down the stairs to Ginny's room where Hermione was staying. What am I supposed to with just her, Ron thought to himself, how I supposed to stop thinking about her… stop, he mentally slapped himself.

"We can just hang out in here for now," Hermione said, unknowingly thinking the same thing as Ron…

**Authors Note: How did I do? Please review, I want to know what you think. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Harry Potter characters JK Rowling does. (This applies to the rest of the story but I'm not going to put it on every chapter.)**

**Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay I've had a bit of writer's block and my internet is not cooperating with me. Thank-you again to my reviewers. Without further ado here's Chapter three.**

Chapter 3

"Did you just say…" Ginny let her thought go unfinished, but both teens knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Umm…" Harry began before being abruptly cut off by Ginny.

"Bloody hell, Harry!" She yelled, "You can't do this to me. First you break up with me to 'protect' me and then…this…" she said adding air quotes to emphasise her emotion. "If you really do…" she paused momentarily, "Do you really think that he will care if you broke up with me, if you…" she paused again, "If you love me," she whispered. She was doing all she could not to cry and had successfully done so until this last sentence. The tears streamed down her face, she averted her eyes. She couldn't look at him; it would only make it worse.

"Ginny, I'm…I don't know…I'm so…Why is everything so complicated?" he spat out. He looked up at her crying form. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and make her forget everything. Take all her pain away. He knew that a great deal of the pain she felt was directly his fault. Without a second thought he took a step closer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "It's gunna be ok, Ginny," he repeated softly over and over to her. She was angry with him, but it felt so good to be in his arms again that she gave in and wrapped her arms around his torso returning the hug..

"I …" Ginny started but she was silenced by Harry's lips meeting hers in a sweet, but brief kiss. They broke apart.

"What does this mean?" Ginny questioned him placing her head on his chest.

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out," Harry replied stroking her hair.

Ron and Hermione sat on opposite beds in an awkward silence. She glanced around the room trying desperately to think of something to say. Why all of a sudden was it hard to talk to Ron? He was one of her best friends and they had been talking for years. _Just say something!_ She thought to herself.

"What do you think is gunna happen with Harry and Ginny?" she asked lamely. Ron looked at her as if he just realized she was there.

"Huh, oh, I don't know," Ron spluttered. _You sound so thick!_ He mentally scolded himself. "They're both so stubborn so who knows what will happen." They fell into the awkward silence again. All of sudden, their silence was broken with a shrill voice.

"THAT WON'T 'APAN," the two teenagers looked at each other.

"Should we go see what the problem is?" Ron asked tentatively.

"I suppose," Hermione stated standing up from the bed. Ron followed suit. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they saw Bill, Fleur and Mrs. Weasely standing in the kitchen. Fleur was clearly the one who had been yelling but Mrs. Weasely looked as if she had almost reached her breaking point as well. Upon seeing the three angry faces Ron turn on his heel and made to go back upstairs.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked him.

"Back upstairs," he stated plainly, "Mum looks ready to explode and, personally I don't want to be here when she does. I could very easily be blamed for something not related to this at all," he said.

"Oh, Fine," Hermione agreed beginning her ascent as well, "Let's go see how Harry and Ginny are," she stated. They silently ascended the many stairs to Ron's room, and tentatively gazed at the open door. "They're not yelling at least," Hermione offered.

"Let's just get this over with," Ron suggested. He pushed Hermione lightly through the door ahead of him. He did not want to be the first through that door. They entered the room only to see Harry and Ginny fast asleep, wrapped in each others arms on Harry's bed.

"Guess they made up," Hermione pointed out. "Should we wake them?" she asked.

"Yes!" Ron stated, walking to the bed. He began shaking the two sleeping forms. "I don't wanna see this. This is my sister and my best mate," he said sounding disgusted.

"Wha… What's going on!" Ginny exclaimed, while attempting to stand up. Her in hasty attempt she rolled herself off the bed and landed on the floor with a thump. "What the bloody hell are you doing?" She yelled at Ron, after realizing he had woken her up.

"Removing this disturbing image from my room," Ron argued back.

"Would you two stop," Hermione and Harry said.

"THAT IS UNEXCEPTABLE!" the shrill voice of Mrs. Weasely rang through the house from the kitchen.

"What is that about?" Harry and Ginny asked.

"Fleur is here," Hermione stated as if that awnsered all possible inquiries.

"Oh," Ginny said, "Makes sense. Let's go see if we can help." Ron groaned but followed the girls when Harry gave him a look that simply said, 'If I have to, and I do, than so do you.'

"What could they possibly be fighting about now?" Ron asked.

"Loads of things," Ginny replied as if it was the stupidest question she'd ever heard, "I guess we'll soon find out." She turned her glance from Ron to Harry briefly before she concentrated on the direction she was going. Hermione looked at her and Ginny gave her a knowing look. Later they would discuss the details but for now that look told Hermione all she needed to now for now.

"Let's see what the trouble is," Ginny said as they rounded the corner towards the kitchen…

**Author's Note: Love it, hate it, tell me in a review. Also, I'm not completely sure were this is going I am just writing whatever, so if anyone has any suggestions I would be glad to hear them. **


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